Puzzle



' (N o Model.)

S.A.BARTLTT.

PUZZLE.

No. 558,824. Patented Feb. 4, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN A. BARTLETT, OF DEMAREST, NEW JERSEY.

PUZZLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,824, dated February 4, 1896.

Application filed March 2, 1895. Serial No. 540,271. (No model.)

To all whoml it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN A. BARTLETT, of Demarest, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Puzzle, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved puzzle, designed to imitate Chickens in the Garden, and arranged to afford amusement to the player, while at the same time requiring considerable skill to properly solve the problem.

The invention consists of a series of channels arranged around a goal, a pen,'and gates mounted to swing open in one direction and controlling the ends of the said channels.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, in which similar letters of'reference indicate corresponding parts in all the iigures.

Figure lis a plan view of the improvement with part broken out and the cover removed. Fig. 2 is a sectional side lelevation of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same on the line 3 3 of Fig. l, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modilied form of the gate.

The improved puzzle is provided with a suitably-constructed base A, preferably made circular in form and provided with an outer Wall B, extending a suitable distance above the base and preferably made of sheet metal set in a circular groove formed on the top of the base, as is plainly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.

In the center of the base A is arranged a goal C in the form of apen having a circular wall and roof and formed in its front with an outwardly-extending opening C', divided in the middle by a post C2. This opening C/ leads to a circular channel formed by segmental walls D D', forming at their front an opening D2, divided by a post D3, which forms a rest fora gate E3, mounted to swing forwardly and j ournaled in suitable bearings erected on the base A.

The rear ends of the walls D D form an opening D4, likewise divided by a post D5 and opening into a second channel formed by a segmental wall E, concentric to the walls D D/ and the goal C, and terminating at one end, at E', at a gate F, and at its other end, E2, a suitable distance from a gate G, which latter abuts or swings against the end H of another segmental wall, H, concentric to the wall E and terminating at its other end, H2, a suit# able distance from the gate F.

Two segmental walls I I are located between the outer wall B and .the segmental wall H, and these walls I l' form at their rear ends an opening I2 divided by a post I3, and at their front ends theyform an opening I4 divided by a post I5.

Now, by the arrangement described, a court is formed by the gates E3 F G, and part of the ends of the walls I I project beyond the gates F and G, as is plainly shown in Fig. I, the said gate G being preferably journaled in the walls D and I and the gate Fin the walls D and I. Balls .I represent the chickens to be assembled in the goal, the said balls traveling through the various channels by tilting the base A. Now, it will be seen that as the gates E3, F, and G open only in one direction the balls can pass through them in one direction but cannot return, it being' especially understood that the gates open outwardly into the court previously mentioned, so that the' balls can pass into the court through the gates from the channels but not back into the latterby way of the gates. Furthermore, the ends E' and H of the walls E and H, as previously mentioned, limit the i inward swinging motion of the gates F and G, respectively, while the balls can pass from one channel to the other at the end H2 of the wall H and at the end E2 of the wall E, as indicated in Fig. l. Thus as long as the gates are not opened by a ball traveling in the channels it can readily be brought to the goal to enter through the opening C to the interior thereof.

The gates may be made in varionsshapes, but are preferably hung above and terminating a suitable distance at their lower ends from the upper surface of the base. The gates may be made of sheet metal, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, or of wire bent in the form of the letter U, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

Having thus fully described my invention,

IOO

and gates one at each end of the court and one at the side thereof to close one of the openings of the innermost channel, said gates opening into the court, substantially as described.

2. A puzzle, comprising a base provided with a Wall, a central goal having an opening in one side, a series of concentric channels, the innermost and outermost ones of which are provided with opposite openings, and the intermediate ones terminating short of each other on one side forming a court, a gate for closing one of the openings of the innermost channel and a gate at each side of the court free to swing toward the court only, substantially as described.

3. A puzzle, comprising a base provided with an annular Wall, a central goal provided With an opening in one side, a series of concentric channels, the innermost and outermost ones of which are provided With oppon site openings, and the intermediate ones terminating short of each other at one side and forming a court, a gate for closing one opening of the innermost channel and opening into .the court, posts in the other opening of the innermost channel and the opening of the outermost channel, and a gate at cach 4side of the court and opening into the same, substantially as described.

STEPHEN A. BARTLE'FT,

Vitnesses:

THEO. G. HosTER, C. SEDGWICK. 

